The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1887-10-22
PARIS PICKPOCK ETS.
Interesting Statements of an Ex-
Chiof of Detectives.
The Systematic Training Necessary To a
Successful Career of :hI"ving some
of the Most ingenious Kuscs
rrnctiCed.

The most interesting book that has
recently appeared in Paris is "Un JoIi
Monde, written by NJ. Mace. NJ Mace
for many years aud until eighteen
months ago was the chief of the Paris
detective police His book is devoted
10 the scamy side of Partisan life. that
would naturally fall under the obscrva-
tion of n man in that place. Perhaps
one of the most interesting chapters is
that entitled "Pickpockrts and Pick
pockcttcs, from which the Iumcy
translates the following:
"Apropos of the pickpocEcts, there
nrc professors that make Il business of
teaching that kind of robbery. Special
schools exist where boys that ought to
be at play with their hoops and tops
are initiated into all the secrets of this
art After few lessons their profess
sors' require them To undergo practical
examinations ON n manikin. This
manikin. dressed like "A man and COW
cred with little bolls, j. suspended
from the ceiling by wire 80 that IT
the least contact the bells are set to
jinging. A boy is considered ready To
work n crowd when. time and again,
he can take n purse or pockct-book
from the pocket of the mamikin with
ous ringing a single bell.
"Thc true pickpockrt is not a vulgar
rascal. and YOU will bc aStoniShcd To
learn that many of them have mn cstah-
lishcd social position. Some of them
are the keepers of cafes, jewellers, to-
bacconists and all of them have the
appearance of honest tradcsmcn and
respectable people. The English pick
pocket is the best known he is seen
everywhere but he is not the most
clever lie has in somc way acquired
a reputation that hc does not merit.
lie is still, constrained in his
movements. and exhibits in his
calling good deal of the national
phlcgm. lie i, an indrfatigablc
walker. and the police agents who fol-
low him up to catch him in the net re-
turn in state of exhaustion. Sly as
n serpent, he never yields To any dan
gcrous temptation. He never remains
in one crowd longer than ten minutes.
and generally contents himself with
one victim at place. Fllc is most nj
home nj the races. bu, even there
mover forgctS the rules of prudence
that guide him elsewhere. The fever
nf betting renders the crowd careless.
Bets are made. and the horses start,
followed 10y a thousand anxious eyes.
Around they 3, Now they draw near
the wire. The crowd bursts into an
uproar; I'm instant later the air is filled
with the mingled cries of triumph for
the winners and the sullrn roar of dis
appointment of the losers. The only
man in the crowd who escapes the gem
eral excitement is the pickpockct His
face is calm. his head is cool. and his
body, almost glued to that of his vic-
Tins, is moioulcSS. His hands alone
are busy, and in brief space he has
gathered in an abundant harvest.
While he is thus engaged his accom-
pliccs surround him. each having
particular role assigned to him i'm adj
vance. When rich betting man
makes his way To II bookmakcr. some
of these accompiiccs crowd in before
him while others push him forward
from behind. lie is jostlcd aud cl-
bowed 10y these rogueS, whom he takes
TO be betting men like himself, aud
when he cmcrgcs from the crowd he
has left his pockct-book in the hands of
the operator. whc has not failed To take
advantage of his opportunities. The
booty passes from hand To hand to the
last accomplicc, who is generally the
cashier of the band. The trick taken,
the pickpockcts separate without stop
ping to see what they have got. and
begin another operation.
"Pickpockcts have sources If in
formation more secret and sure than
those Of the municipal police. Nothing
escapes them. and IL Is "A common
thing for pickpockets in London and
New York To notify confcderatss in